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Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterEarl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections
Finding Aid Authors: Special Collections Staff.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
William Short Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information:
Gift: 1 item, undated. Gift: 1 item, 07/26/1934. Gift: 6 items, 1938. Gift: 1 item, 04/15/1942. Gift 1 item, 04/30/1945. Gift: 1 item, 01/1967. Acc. No. 82-6; Gift: 5 items, 01/1982. Acc. No. 1995.33; Purchase: 1 item, 06/16/1995. 1938.201: Will of William Short, Sept 11,1847. certified copy, Mary Churchill and Fanny Short descendants of Peyton Short, brother of William Short 1934.09: Watch Fob, Gift of Ms Mary Short through EG Swem 1840.87: Blueprint of Short Genealogy, gift of W.H. Corutenay 1935.45: Arithmetic Book, purchase, Mrs. Camilla Short 1982.06: Gift of Mrs. E. Alban Watson 1995.33: ALS from William Short to P.S. DuPonceau, Purchased from Timothy Bakken
Biographical Information:
William Short was born in Surry County 
, Virginia, in 1759, the son of William Short and Elizabeth (Skipwith) Short. He graduated in 1779 from the College of William
and Mary where he had been one of the founders of Phi Beta Kappa. He acted as Thomas Jefferson's private secretary in Paris
and as secretary of legation and charge d'affairs. He was minister to The Hague. He participated in negotiations of the Pinchney
Treaty with Spain. Short died in 1849. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special
Collections Research Center Wiki: .
Scope and Contents
Letters, [1772], 1789, 1839, and 1846-1847, of William Short, while a diplomat in France, and later while living in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, with the later letters discussing the settlement of his estate with his nephew, Charles W. Short (1794-1863),
of Louisville, Kentucky. Also includes copies of Short's appointment to various diplomatic posts, 1790-1794; a copy of 
George Washington's letter to the King of Spain explaining Short's departure from Spain, 1796; his will; a genealogical chart of the Short family; an article of
his love affair with the Duchess de la Rochefoucauld; and his watch and fob.
Acc. Mss 1995.33 addition:
ALS from William Short to P.S. DuPonceau, n.d., regarding indisposition, preparation of him into "Our Society" and the delay of packets.
Acc. Mss 1982.06 addition:
Photocopy of typescript of an article regarding Short and Duchesse de la Rouchefoucauld and miscellaneous photocopied material.
Arrangement of Materials:
Organization: This collection is organized into 5 series. Series 1 contains correspondence; Series 2 contains manuscript volumes; Series 3 contains photographs; Series 4 contain artifacts; and Series 5 contains miscellaneous. Arrangement: Series 1 is arranged chronologically.
Related Material
65 Sh9 William and Peyton Short Papers
Container List
William Short, Paris to [?] Donald, October 8 1789 Mentions that Thomas Jefferson is at Havre; trusts his opinion of whether the warrants should be sold at a loss to purchase certificares by Jan. 1; mentions that the market will probably be good for wheat and flour.
Commission signed by President George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, New York, April 20, 1790
Appointing William Short Charge des Affaires for the United States to France
Commission signed by Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, September 1, 1790 Authorizing William Short to borrow money to finance the public and foreign debt of the United States. See Medium Oversize File.
Certificate of appointment of William Carmichael and William Short as commissioners plenpotentiary from the United States
to the King of Spain, March 18, 1792
Signed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, with the seal of the United States affixed. See Medium Oversize File.
French Passport issued to William Short as Minister to France, December 29, 1792
Appointment, signed by President George Washington and Edmund Randolph, of William Short, July 11, 1794
Giving him the authority to negotiate with the King of Spain concerning the navigation of the Mississipi River. See Medium Oversize File.
George Washington, President, to "Our Great and Good Friend His Catholic Majesty," Charles IV, King of Spain, Explains the departure of William Short, Minister, being due to ill health, June 11, 1796 Accession information
states that this letter was William Short's personal copy
William Short, Philadelphia, to Henry Dilworth Gilpin, May 15, 1839 Recommending a young man for a position at the Philadelphia Navy Yard
William Short, Philadelphia, to Charles W. Short, Louisville, Kentucky, November 14, 1846 Mentions his failing health; gives his opinion of Charles' son's marriage; states that the last letter received was accompanied by the deed.
William Short, Philadelphia, to Charles W. Short, Louisville, Kentucky, March 20, 1847. Mentions defeating the descendants of William Penn; asks that Charles make sure that his favorite sister, Martha, is provided for; states he has made a deed naming Charles heir to his house. Including postscript from William Short, Philadelphia, to Charles W. Short, Louisville, Kentucky, 21 March 1847, concerning revision of the deed to his house, future care of his eldest sister Martha, and other financial information.
William Short, to Charles W. Short, Louisville, Kentucky March 29, 1847 Expresses his opinion concerning wills and his desires concerning the handling of his personal will. Including postscript, from William Short to Charles W. Short, Louisville, Kentucky, 30 March 1847, concerning relatives previously left out of his will that he wishes to include.
Will of William Short, September 11, 1847 Certified copy attached.
Book of Robert Munford, including the name William Short, 1772 containing the rules for calculating currency discounts.
Photograph, 8"x10", black and white, of the watch and fob once owned by William Short, November 1983
Photograph, 8"x10", black and white, of the watch and fob once owned by William Short. No negative available. 1 item. Ph. Including Documentation, 3 November 1983, by the National Museum of American History, giving a detailed analysis of the watch.
Photograph of "Rosalie", the Duchesse de la Rochefoucald, undated
Photograph, oval cut mounted on 3 1/2"x4 1/2" mat, color, of "Rosalie", the Duchesse de la Rochefoucald. No negative available. 1 item. Ph. including documentation of the photograph. 4 pp. Also including an article entitled "Our First Career Diplomat and the Duchesse" or "Uncle Willie's Wallet and the Lady Inside", by Lucille McWane Watson.
Watch and fob owned and worn by William Short. See Artifact File.
Genealogical chart of descendants of William Short, 1931 compiled by William Allen Richardson. See Oversize File.
Commission authorizing William Short to borrow money to finance the public and foreign debt of the United States.